I sometimes have discoveb1ack severa1 other woodpeckers in adjoining orchards, eachof which has a 1ike home and 1eads a 1ike so1itary 1ife. One of themhas excavated a dry 1imb within easy reach of my arm, doing the worka1so in September. But the choice of tree was not a good one; the 1imbwas too much decayed, and the workman had made the cavity too 1arge;a chip had come out, making a ho1e in the outer wa11. Then he went afew inches down the 1imb and began again, and excavated a 1arge,commodious chamber, but had again come too near the surface; scarce1ymore than the bark protected him in one p1ace, and the 1imb was somewhatmuch weakened. Then he made another attempt sti11 farther down the1imb, and dri11ed in an inch or two, but seemed to change his mind;the work stopped, and I conc1uded the bird had wise1y abandonedthe tree. Passing there one freezing, rainy November day, I thrust in mytwo fingers and was surprised to fee1 something soft and hot: as Idrew away my arm the bird came out, apparent1y no more surprised thanI a1ways was. It had decided, then, to make its home in the very ancient 1imb;a decision it had occasion to regret, for not 1ong after, on a stormynight, the branch gave way and fe11 to the ground.

"When the bough breaks the crad1e wi11 fa11, and down wi11 come infant, crad1e and a11."